Fluid-meter tester.



1 Y ED i sCrAfI-jns A PHILIP MUELLER F DEcA'rUn, ILLINoIs, assIGNoR To II. MELLEB Il:'ANUFAGJIUBf PATENT: oFFIcE.

ING contraint, or DECATUR, ILLINoIs, a oonroItArIoN or ILLINOIS.

'iLUIn-METER TESTER :Be a knoweth-at arma! MMR, t

citizen of the' United States, residin at Demanufacture.

` ,etliciency line 3-8 ot Fig. 2- showing a detail of the catur, in the-county otMacon and tate ofv Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Meter Testers, of which the following isa speciii'cat'ion.

' My invention consists of. a iiuid meter tester. y It has particular-relationv to Water meter testers, though it'maybe used with the same or great'radvantage as a gas or other iiuid meter tester, dependent upon Vthe con- Lions of the test.

' The '-meter tester of my invention consists 'oi' ,testing elements Ao1\.'ganized and combined' to the end of producingatester at once ple an el convenientto operate,- accurate in its measurements, :tree from leakage and spil lingof water, light'and neat in construction,

attractive in appearance, and cl1eap"'.to

he taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

0f the drawings-Figure 1 a side ele? vat-ion of the tester of my invention showing certain parts in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of one of the head stocks for the meter, and Fig. 3 is a section on the control valve. I

The general type of meter to which my invent-ion rei es more particularly is that type in which is t is made of tivo stocks 'mounted opp@ n other and carrying the heads throng-ul ch connections are made with a meter n' i is supported by some means between heads.- 'lhese stocks are nu1nhered 1G and 11 in the drawings. Both of them are centrally horcd and bolted to a table 13 a suitable distance apart. The stock l0 carries a head '14 adapted to make connectionwith the meter to be'tested from j spwmcimn of Letten man. i patented Sept; 10', 1912, 7 y pauc'gunmea member 1;'179'10. serial ittryssasnrz."k

' the supplymains, 'while the stock-'11 carries'v a .somewhat similar .head15' adaptedto'relceive the discharge from-fthe meter. land transfer' it through the controllin otlier discharge tank.'

and. measuring devices'to a suitable-weighing or 60- The -headli is connected with or formed as a part of a. casting '14s which castinghas formedtherew-ith a valve-'body 20,fthe end of said casting being threadedinto the bore 18 ofthefstock-l. `vA sup ly pipe 16 is threaded gint-o the other end n of the bore. 'The'psaidfcasing 14* projects suliciently'in front ofthe stock lO'to. position the head 14 iii-proper. place. The nipple 1'( YisSCreWed `into the boie 18 and carries-,at its upper `end the pressure gage 19. Immediately adjacent ,the head 14 is a quick' opening-"controlling valve 20 provided With an' operating lever 2l.

The head 15 is supported on thef-end of `an adjustable' discharge spindle 22 movahly journaled inthe stock 11 in axial alinelnent 'A with the supply -pipe 16 so that the heads 'ilfand '15 lie in parallel planes immediately opposite 'each other. ImmediatelyT .adjacent head 15 is a quick acting tlop valveQS -which closes toward the head 15 asshown in Figs.

2 and 3. The opposite end 0f the spindle 22 (see lifig.l 2) 1s closed by two spaced transverse walls 24. and 25.A Between the head 15 and the wall 24 the discharge pipe 26 communicates with the interior of the spindle. This discharge pipe is permanently tapped to the spindle, being screw threaded to the inset Wall 2T as shown..l The upper wall 280i the bearing of the spindle is provided with an elongated slot 29 ythrough which the discharge pipe Q6' passes, and in which it may he moved longitudinally with the spindle. A vertical wall 30 is provided around the [edges of the slot for the pur pose of guiding the discharge pipe 26 in its movements; Holes 31, 3Q, are hored through the spindle in the rear of wall Q4' to permit the oiling of the parts and also permit drawing of any Water that may happen to get in slot Q9. Such collected water and oil may be discharged through -a suitable pet cock 29a screwed into the part 11. The end walls ot' the bearing; of the spindlcrare extended rearwardly beyond the end 25 of the spindle and support by means of a hiearing collar 3l bolted thereto an adjusting lclamp spindle 35. in :screw-threaded.engagement `hand-.wheel 136. The bearing' collar -34 is provided with a. hollow Ybearing of V"such length.. and dimnsionsas to give ample l caring surface and permit'freeturnin of intojthe s indle Vimmediately ad- ]acent and behind t eflop' valve 23;

' of the const'ruttion s own and l described in Letters Patent" Noi 1,022,37 5 .granted me :April 2, 1912.l By means of this'cock, the

fiowin stream in the'dis'cliarge pipe may-be .constriotedto -a circular forin of any one ofv ner. .This cock. isA permanently .in -the diss -fcharge pipe inthe same'manner as .are the igordinary globe valves connected -iniserieswith a hnwf. 'pipe *vi-Rising .heads 14 'and 15 isa supporting. stand 38.'

from. the

'- This stand-*' comprises 'a central' post- 39 1 screwfthreaded into arsupport'ing'collar 40 -which "covers-'- anopening-41A-'through thef body1 of the table 'through which the post 39 pro3ects. TheA surface of the' table 13' is;

- sloped inwardlyfron'i its edges as 'shown in' Fig. -l' toa mound '42 surrounding theopen` ing 41, and the collar 40, makes a watertight joint with this mound 42 and its body rises a suiicient distance. above itfto position'its top above the normal'yvater level. Thiswa-" ter level is determined by lan upwardly exi -tending flange .43 on-the edge of 'the table. A drainage opening passes through the -clearly -shown in Figsl.

body of the .table near the stand 38 and discharge-from it taken by pipe '45. The

pos-i139 supported b 'the collar 40 is provided with a hand w eel-45 whereby.l it' may "be turned to raise the to 46 of the stand to 46 is .rota' any desired position. he top tably swiveled on vthe end of 'the post 3?, as

The entire meter ter is 'supported-.Ion a its various parts..

. tion is as follows: A meter of an of the.

' The operation of the'testerf iny invenusual sizes within the capacity of t e tester is"placed'upo'n the stand 46 and pro erly afdJusted and clamped betweenthe hea s 14 ply side of the' meter being closed. lhe me` ter is then filled with water b opening the. i

- of water being allowed to'pass' through the.

and 15, all the controlling valvesA on the s'upvalve on the inlet Aside, a su cient amount t' meter andout of the discharge pipe 'to eX pel all-theair in the meter and the appaatus, and to make sure that everything is in Q'roper working order. Asvsoon as the indicharge' pipe 'in the discliargepipe.. sit-ion ofthe inlet and outlet valves r20 and .23 immediately adjacent the heads 14 and Catol'- the '1h-teri's' at' 'somefconvenieiit:l

= point for taking 'a reading," the .inletfvalve is' closed.' Beinga quick acting-* valve, op-

erated" by a' lever,l this'closuref'may be ef# fected' to stop -the r istry-ofthe 'meter with exactness The 'mu tiple cock in the -dis chargejpi 'e is then-adjusted to constriot the stream -o water flowing throu h the 'meter -to certain/diameter.' one and' .the l v `scale'spor other. `devices-for measuring. the' v In the discharge p1 `e`26 is amultiple cock dischargeof water having been placed i-n positiionfandadjusted, the inlet valve'l is l1 through .the'ine r, whereuponv Vthe inl A valvefis quickly lbs'ed, the closure beingmade theinstant that thefmeter shows that 'the' desired' amount o twater liasf'passed through, evxercising care to be accurate.' The Acomparison of the easured quantity of-water discharged, 'theiiii onzthe scales; or other 'devices',`r with the" read'' fing. of the meter at'onceshows the accuracy easurement beingmade or. inaccuracy of the meten With; specially devised measuring scales vfor weighing the .discharged-'water this accuracy maybe deopened7 quickly, after noting'thereading of I .the meter,. and -acertain quantity of water' as measured by the meter allowed to p Aim termined'exactly in' percent'directly from "the scales. .Other ysimilar 'runs 'of the same meter are made with' different sizedv streams until Vthe meter 'has been tested'jthrough Iits i operating range,- whereuponthe' meter may' be readily removed by turning the clamping spindle meter the lopvvalve'v adj ac'enttliehead l5-is closed, and' .srsilla'ge of waterrom the disvalve is held closed by the column of Water By virtue'of the poackwardly. .Priorto re'moving'the ico i' .thus 'prevented'. 'i -Th'e iop .I

15 vwastage'of water is prevented, and' time l incident to the filling of connections is saved.- l All connections mustbe `filled before a test.

is'made, and when" already 'illed' time? is saved-i' Slopping of.water is also efectually prevented. All spillage and leakage inci-l dent to the connection and disconnection of tion of the table'.

.the meter is'caughtfby-the table, and findsits way -to a suitable drain through the drain While i have describea'the'best om ef to have itvunderstood thatdo not-wish to be'limited to this specific form, since lmy V'invention may be given. many specific forms 'by those skilled in the art 'without departingin anywise from its generic spirit.

What I'claim is other, means for so movingsaid head, a supply pipe to one head, and a discharge leadn iy invention now known to me, I desire 'j lizo ing frame,"y spaced Vstoc ingv from the other head, a water retaining wall around the sides of said table, means for supporting a meter betweensaid heads and in connection therewith, said ieans comprising an uprivht member passing through the body of the table, and a mound surrounding said member and rising. from the table a height substantially equal the4 Aheight of said retaining wall.

2. A meter tester comprising a table having a retaining wall at its edge, two heads supported on said table, one oi' said heads being movable toward and from the other, means for so moving' said head, a supply pipe to one head, and a discharge leading from the other head, means for supporting a meter-between said heads andvin connection therewith, said means comprising an upright member passing through the' body of the table, and a collar surrounding said member .and making a water tight joint with the table, said collar being of a height substantially equal to the height of said retaining wall. v

3. A meter tester comprising a table, two heads supported on said table, one of said heads being movable toward and from the other, means for so moving said head, a supply pipe to one head, and a discharge 4. leading from theother head', means for supporting a meter between said heads and in connection therewith, `said means comprising an upright member passing through thev body of the table, anda .flanged collar ,sup-v porting said member, the lange of said collar being of a .height substantially equal 'roy the top of' said retaining wall.

4. A meter tester comprising' a frame, spaced stocks on` the frame,-a supply pipe leading to one of the stocks, a discharge pipe leading from the oppositestock, a casting extending inwardly from one stock and having at its inner. end a valve casing, a

valve in 'the casing controlling the flow ofA Huid therethrough, a. head on the inner end of the valve casing, a spindle extendinginwardly from the opposite stock and having a second valve casing at its inner end, a

valve in said second valve casing control- Y ling the flow' of fluid therethrough, a second head or the inner end of the second valve casing, and a meter support on the ,jfsame'between the hea'ds adapted to sup- "portthe meter connected to the heads.

5. A meter tester comprising a frame,

. spaced stocks on the frame, members extending inwardly from the stocks and having valves at' their inner ends, headsV carried by the members inwardly of the' valves'and adapted forv attachment to a meter, a support" on the frame between the heads fora v meter, andl inlet and discharge' pipes connected to said members. j

v6. AA meter tester-compsri'sing a supporton the frame,

meter-connecting means between the stocks for connecting a meterbetween them, a supply pipe leading tolone of thestocks, a discharge pipe leading fromfthe opposite stock,

and an inlet valve .located at the extreme inner end of thev said meter-connecting means on the inside of the inlet'stock adapted to instantly andV completely cut off'the .low from the inlet stock.

7. A meter tester comprisingaV frame, spaced stocks on the frame, meter connecting members extending inwardly from the stocks, valve casings carried on the inner ends of the members, valves in the casings controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, a meter support on the frame 'between the members, and heads on the inner ends of the Avalve casings for attachment to the meter.

S. A meter'tester comprising a supporti ing frame, two heads supported on said frame 'adapted to make connection with a meter. placed between them, one of -said heads being movable toward and from the other,means for so moving said head, a supply `pipe leadingV .to one head, a discharge pipe leading tothe other, and an outlet valve ot the ioptype immediately adjacent the head associated with the discharge pipe and arranged rto open away from the head.

9. A meter tester comprising a supporting frame, tw-o heads supported on said frame adapted to make connection with a meter placed between them, one of said headsv being movable toward and from the other, means for so moving said'head, a supply pipe leading to 'one head, a discharge pipe leading to the other, a quick operating inlet vvalve immediatelyv adjacent the 4supply head, and an outlet valve of the flop type immediately adjacent the' discharge head and arranged to open away from the head.

1Q. A meter tester comprising a supporting frame, spaced stocks mounted on the frame, a meter-connecting -head mounted on one of the stocks, a hollow spindle slidable through the opposite stock, a second meterconnecting head mounted on the spindlev for movement therewith toward and from the first head, a supply pipe leading to said first `stock, and a discharge pi e connected directly and movable with sald spindle.

ll. A .meter tester comprising a. supporting frame, a supply pipe on the frame, an inlet head associated therewith, van adjustable clamping spindle opposite said inlet head, a discharge head associated therewith, y

a stock supporting the inlet head, a stock supporting thev clampingl spindle and discharge head' and having-an -elongated slot 'opposite the-clamping spindle, and a dis.

charge pipe connected directly to said move with the spindle', Y

spindle through ysaid yslot and adapted to 12. A meter tester comprising a siipporting frame; e -Silpply Pipe* en the .frame- 11,11

I. inlet head associated therewith, an adjust 'able clamping spindle oppositejsaid inlet head, a discharge head associeted therewith, stocks 'supporting the clamping spindle and .the inlet head respectively, one of said stocks having an elongated slot opposite the cla-mping spin le and in its upper side, a discharge pipe -eonneeted directly, -to said spindle through :said slot and adapted to 'move with the spindle, andl means for -drainingsaid slot.

13. A metertester eomprising a snpportin? t'rame, two clampingheads on the' frame and adapted to make connection with a' meter placed 'between them, a movable 'clamping spindle supporting one4 of said heads., said spindle being hollow and open 4at the head end and o los'ed its rear end,- and means engaging the closed end for v)listing saidilspindle.

le. A meter testereomprising a supporting rame,two clamping heads on 'the frame and yadapted vto make connection 'with a meter placed between them,l a Amovable vclamping spindle supporting one or said heads, said spindle being hollow and having the headV end open and its rear end closed by two spaced walls and further havinga conduit connecting with the spindle betweenv ythe open endv and the adjacent' wall, and' means engaging the rearmos't wall for mov,

- ing the spindle.

l5. A meter tester comprising a pair `ol meter-connecting heads, a movable clamping spindle supporting one of said heads, a tired. stock supporting' said spindle, means for moving said spindle in the stock, a pipe leading oli directly from and being snpported on the' spindle, and a multiplecock conneqted in the pipe and being supported by and movable with the pipe and ,the

spindle. v i6. -Ameter tester'comprismg 'a' support- ,ing frame, stocks rising fromv the. frame, a

fixed head carried by one stock, an adjust-1 able clamping spindle carried bythe other stock, said other stock having a slot in one side longitudinally oft-he spindle, asccond 'head carried by saidspindle opposite the first head, spaced transverse walls closing the lend of saidspindle', said spindle having openings through its body between.V the transverse walls and communicating with the slotpand a discharge pipe connected with the interior of thel spindle and' projecting 17. A metertes'tercomprising two clamp-` ing heads adapted to make Connection with a meter placed between them, an adJustable l clamping spindle on which one of said heads.

is mounted, said spindle being hbllow', spaced transverse -W'alls closingggthe .rear Vend o'l' the spindle, a discharge' 'pipe making connection withtlie-spindle between itsfopen end and the adjaeent wall, 'a -fixed support essaies ior Athe spindle,` and a screw threaded afljusting screw liziedly journal d on the fined support and" screw threade three-.gh the rearm'ost "all of the spindle.' i

1S. ln a meter tester, a table, spaced inlet "andwoutlet heads arranged above the' table and adapted for connection with a meter,

a retaining wall 'opstanding from the edge of the table, an upright member carried through the table between the heads'for supporting a meter, and a mound surround ving said member and rising from Ithe table a lie-ight 'substantially equal to thelieight of the-'retainingwalh 1S).A ln a meter tester, a table having 'a retaining wall npstanding from about the ,edge thereof and having a 'eireularmoiind risingup centrally .therefrom a height sub-- stantially equal to the height or" the ie'- taining Wall, said Ytable further having a drain opening at-'oneside of the moimd and a central opening within the monnd,a drainpipe leading .from the drain opening, *andl an upright meter-supporting member adinstable throngli'tlie Central opening of the table.-

20.1Afmeter spaced stocksv rising from the frame, a

'tester comprising a' frame',

lixed head `mornitedfon one' of the stocks, a

'movable clamping spindle'onthe opposite stock, a second head carried on the innerv end of thespindle, a'supply pipe leading upon and extendingi'rom thespindle, and

-a multiple oook eonneeted in the discharge pipe andA adapted for movement *therewith and with-the spindle.

21. fr meter tester comprising a frame, vspaced stocks `on the ra1ne,"a fined meterconnecting head -on one stock, a Clamping'v spindle movable in the other stock, a see'- ond"meter-connecting head-carried on the spindle, a vquick closing valve on said first head, a'tlopyalre on said'second'head, a supply pipe vleading into the irst stoela discharge pipe ycarried on the spindleand movable therewith, and "a multiple-cook yconnected with the discharge pipe and being supported for movement with the samei 22. A meter tester comprising a. table,

opposed "heads yspaced apart and arranged.' above the table, a Avertically positioned post to the first stock, adischarge pipe carried f ine ies

screw threaded into the table midway be` 'tween 'the heads, abend-wheel on the post.

for turning the same to adjust (liep .'ei'tieally, and a i'u'etei-supporting platinm rotatably mounted on the upper endfo'lf the post.' 4

23. A meter tester. Comprising a frame,

'sparc-ed44 stocks rising from the frame, a .fixed head on'one'stock, a movable meter- Y 'clampingv spindle onltlie oppositestock, a .second liead carried on the inner end of the spindle, ajsupply pipe leading to the lirst stock, a quick closing valve on said fire-' head, a discharge pipe connected with one In testimony whereof-I have hereunto set side ef the spindle and adapted for move-l my hand in presencev of two subscribing ment thee'wth, a multiple-cock connected Witnesses. in said disearge pipe for movemenbwith PHILIP .MVELLYER. 5 the spindle, and a, quick acting valve car- Witnesses:

ried uponthe inner` end of the spindle' atv VILLIAM R.B1DD1E, the second heade LEONARD F.V MGKIBBEN. 

